DramaComedyFantasy

The Poor Little Rich Girl

Gwen's family is rich, but her parents ignore her and most of the servants push her around, so she is lonely and unhappy. Her father is concerned only with making money, and her mother cares only about her social position. But one day a servant's irresponsibility creates a crisis that causes everyone to rethink what is important to them.

Release Date : 1917-03-05

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Artcraft Pictures Corporation

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Gwen

Original Name : Mary Pickford

Gender : Female

Character Name : Gwendolyn's Mother

Original Name : Madlaine Traverse

Gender : Female

Character Name : Gwendolyn's Father

Original Name : Charles Wellesley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jane

Original Name : Gladys Fairbanks

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Plumber

Original Name : Frank McGlynn Sr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Organ Grinder

Original Name : Emile La Croix

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miss Royale

Original Name : Marcia Harris

Gender : Female

Character Name : Thomas

Original Name : Marcia Harris

Gender : Female

Character Name : Potter

Original Name : Frank Andrews

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Doctor

Original Name : Herbert Prior

Gender : Male

Character Name : Johnny Blake

Original Name : George Gernon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Susie May Squoggs (as Maxine Hicks)

Original Name : Maxine Elliott Hicks

Gender : Female

Character Name : One of Gwendolyn's Teachers (uncredited)

Original Name : Nora Cecil

Gender : Female

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-06-06

There is something of the Lewis Carroll in this quite touching story of a young girl "Gwen" (Mary Pickford) who lives with her wealth-obsessed father (Charles Wellesley) and her socially-obsessed mother (Madlaine Traverse) who indulge their daughter insofar as money allows, but who pretty much neglect her otherwise. Despite her best efforts to engage with her parents - the spirited eleven year old "Gwen" makes little progress so seeks friendship amongst the local (not exactly "suitable" children) culminating in quite an entertaining mud fight. When two of the servants at her home mix her medication, she becomes dangerously ill and the whimsical elements introduce themselves - she has some wonderfully surreal dreams of the life she might like to have had; avenges the ill-treatment of her governess, addresses the indifference of her parents (a potent scene with her father sitting by a dollar pill printing machine churning out note after note...) - all whilst the bed-side waiting parents have to completely reevaluate their own priorities. Pickford was mid-20s playing the diminutive child, and she does it with a plausible, tomboy-ish, innocence that carries the humorous elements of Eleanor Gates' play well. At times it is a little too far-fetched, but Maurice Tourneur keeps the focus on the underlying theme of familial incivism front and centre and effective whilst ensuring the steady pace keeps the whole thing enjoyable to watch.